While Spain enjoy a winter break, the footballers of Catalonia and the Basque
Country will remind their country of the strength possessed of players from
the regions.

Europe’s winter break is never entirely empty. Some clubs squeeze in lucrative tours, combining the benefits of warm weather with income from exhibition games. In two corners of Spain, the recess becomes an opportunity for regional muscle-flexing.

On Monday night, Barcelona’s Olympic Stadium hosts an event that, but for one key aspect, is a prestigious international friendly.

Four holders of 2010 World Cup winners’ medals will be playing, while two more have European Championship gold medals.

The team they represent will still consider themselves badly weakened by injuries to other top-class, serial Champions League winners who usually answer the Christmas call-up from what they instinctively call their ‘country’.

That ‘country’ is Catalonia, whom a crowd of close to 20,000 will watch against Cape Verde, quarter-finalists at the last Africa Cup of Nations.

A similar match took place in Bilbao on Saturday, when Euskadi – the Basque Country – met Peru and, to the satisfaction of 27,000 at the new San Mames arena, won 6-0.

Because of injury and the reluctance of clubs abroad to release some of the best Basque footballers, Euskadi lined up below optimum strength, which meant the emphatic victory could nourish a speculative dream even further.

The dream, the long-term aspiration that genuine, independent national XIs will one day represent the most determinedly autonomous regions of Spain is powerfully felt in parts of the Basque Country and Catalonia.

The annual festive friendlies feed the idea. At San Mames, the players emerged from the tunnel carrying a large placard which said – in Euskara, the Basque language – “We want official status”.

The Catalan Football Federation lobby tirelessly for Fifa recognition as a sovereign sporting body. They note that Gibraltar, after a long, dogged campaign, now has that status and will enter the qualifiers for Euro 2016, albeit that Uefa have agreed that, for political reasons, they cannot be grouped with Spain, who for decades argued against Gibraltar’s claim.

The cases put by Catalonia and Euskadi are distinct from that of Gibraltar, which is governed by Britain. Besides the fact they are politically part of Spain, there is a practical issue: their clubs – including Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao, Espanyol and Real Sociedad – play in the Spanish league system and depend on it.

So what, counter the independentistas? Swansea and Cardiff play in the English system and Wales still have a national team.

Like Wales, the territories of Catalonia and Euskadi have a significant degree of political autonomy within Spain. Like Scotland, Catalonia finds itself in a phase of public mobilisation for full independence from Madrid, with growing demands for a referendum within the next three years.

At Barcelona’s Olympic Stadium, there will be paraphernalia on display directly related to that movement. All announcements will be made in Catalan; nobody would sensibly carry a Spanish flag to the game.

Yet they will be there to celebrate the world-conquering excellence of Catalan footballers like Cesc Fabregas, Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets, of Barcelona and Spain; and Joan Capdevila, of Espanyol and Spain.

Normally, Barca’s Carles Puyol, Xavi Hernandez and goalkeeper Victor Valdes – all injured – also put on their yellow-and-red striped Catalonia jerseys at this time of year.

The players do so carefully stressing their allegiance to Catalonia, while never publicly championing it ahead of their loyalty to a Spain they have all represented with distinction.

As Xavi puts it: “People ask us, ‘Who would you play for if there was a Catalan international team?’ I always say: ‘The option doesn’t exist now, so I can’t make that choice. I like playing in these friendlies, but the reality is if I want to play in Euros and World Cups I have to do so with Spain.”

Xavi’s diplomacy was famously tested when footage of him light-heartedly singing Viva Espana after he won Euro 2008 with Spain was released. He came home to a whirl of criticism from some Catalans.

In the career span of Xavi’s, or Fabregas’s generation, the status quo will not alter. Spain’s national squad will continue to harness the best of its diverse cultures. Ongoing success for Spain sometimes even seems to quieten the calls for any Balkanisation of its sporting identity.

La Roja, the Spain team, are enjoying the most golden period in their history and conspicuously doing so thanks to a large number of brilliant Catalans and Basques. The regionalists get to crow about their disproportionate contribution; the majority just enjoy the glory.

A Spain without its Catalans and Basques would certainly look very different. La Roja would still have the manpower – the likes of Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Andrés Iniesta, David Silva, Pedro, Juan Mata, Santi Cazorla and David Villa – to outplay most international opponents.

They would thrash Gibraltar. But they might just struggle against Catalonia, or the eleven best Basques of Euskadi.